Palo Alto Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palo Alto, California 94303
Sunday, October 20, 1985 17:40 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT SAID THAT AFTER LANDING AND TURNING ONTO THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY, THE ENGINE QUIT. DURING AN ATTEMPTED RE-START, FIRE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE PLT AND HIS PASSENGER EVACUATED THE ACFT, AND ARPT PERSONNEL PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE ACFT WAS EXAMINED BY AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR WHO REPORTED NO EVIDENCE OF BROKEN, DISCONNECTED OR LEAKING FLUID LINES FORWARD OF THE FIREWALL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/20/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1740
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PALO ALTO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94303
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PALO ALTO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PAO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 5
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1745 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PAO
Elevation of weather observation facility 5
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 13
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 150
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2504
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 21 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1415
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30203
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2491Y
NTSB Number LAX86LA020
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8590078
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KNOLAN DISTRIBUTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 16644 ROSCOE BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City VAN NUYS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91406
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BRUCE V. CANTON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5237 STROHM AVENUE
Operator City HOLLYWOOD
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91601
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CCR
Departure City CONCORD
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 65
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --